Award recognizes Savannah Hospice hero

WADE BRANSON

Friday

Jun 28, 2013 at 10:26 PM

The winner of Georgia's 2013 Salute to Senior Service Award is Carole Tutan.

The 78-year-old has logged more than 5,500 hours in the past 15 years at Hospice of Savannah. Home Instead Senior Care Network sponsored the award and the $500 prize. The award was not given for the amount of time she volunteers, but for the quality of it.

"Hospice helps the patients and the caregivers have a better quality of life" Tutan says.

"I'm a people person, I love to make people smile, to make them feel comfortable, even if that means bringing them an ice cream cone at midnight."

If you think the words warm and fuzzy don't belong in the same sentence as Hospice, you have obviously never met Tutan, and more than likely, she'll say you don't really understand Hospice.

Tutan didn't enter the competition with the hopes of winning the award for recognition, but to choose the charity which will receive the $500 prize. She cares about the patients and the caregivers who have needed the help of Hospice. She cares about her co-workers and the families who visit loved ones. The only thing she doesn't seem to care about is recognition.

The only thing about her volunteer work at Hospice that she seems shy to discuss is herself. When asked why she does it, she simply replied, "I cannot imagine volunteering anywhere else."

Immediately she explains her favorite picture, the one of a soldier. Tutan believes the single photograph explains everything clearly. There is a 30-year-old African-American soldier bravely fighting his last battle. At the foot of the bed is a friend and fellow soldier. Climbing onto the bed is a military assistance dog, and in the middle is Tutan's smiling face.

The young soldier who Carole describes as "so special, and his smile was just..." her voice trailing off a bit.

"He asked his friend to let him pet a dog, a real dog" and the next day the golden Labrador retriever from the base was there. With a gentle paw on the bed, he seemed to be asking permission for exactly what the soldier wanted. After a little adjusting, the dog lay beside the young soldier.